Sargent Lily, Lily

My favourite painting by John Singer Sargent is one of the few figure compositions he ever made out of doors in the Impressionist manner: Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose (1885–6). The painting was inspired by the sight of Chinese lanterns during a boating trip along the Thames. The girls are the daughters of the illustrator Frederick Barnard: Dolly (11) and Polly (7) respectively. CLICK for Tate's larger image.